One day I'll learn to blog by

Collin Taylor

This past weekend I made A trip out to Aspen to the Maroon Bells Wilderness to try to get a photo of Capitol Peak from the summit of K2. This was my third attempt at trying to capture this photo due to terrible weather both times before I was unable to make it to the summit. The night before I camped next to Capitol Lake with winds 45+ for nearly 24hrs. I waited til the next afternoon to try to make it up to K2. As soon as i reached the saddle the wind completely stopped which was unexpected and made for a perfect sunset.

Last week we took a trip down to the Sangre De Cristos outside Westcliffe to do a few days of hiking and camping. I was here last summer and ever since I've had an idea for a photo of a close up of Crestone Needle. It took an early AM hike-climb to get there but well worth it to witness the sunrise on such a majestic area. We camped at the base of three 14ers Humboldt, Crestone and Crestone Needle. Arguably some of the tougher 14ers in Colorado.

Our Camp at the lower South Colony Lake

A windy afternoon hike up to the Upper Colony Lake

Crossing a snowfield along Broken hand Pass at 2 o clock in the morning

Sitting atop the rock spire we had climbed up to watch the sunrise

Blanca Peak to the south of us

Tricky climb down

Herd of mountain goats trying to steal our food

The Image I was hoping for, Cottonwood Lake and the San Luis Valley to the left and Upper Colony Lake to the right.

On a whim we made a trip down to the Dunes with a few stops in between. I've been thinking of a photograph I've wanted to capture since the last time I was there but the weather didn't cooperate.. there's always next time. First stop was outside Buena Vista, A storm was blowing over the Collegiates as we were driving down 285.

Our second stop was in the mystical town of Crestone at the base of Crestone peak in the San Luis Valley. I wanted to visit land my dad owns in this spiritual hippie haven where the residents are earth conscious environmentalists, definitely my kind of place to hide away. We stopped for some food and within twenty minutes It went from sunny blue skies to hailing three inches and enshrouded in fog.

After leaving Crestone we headed for the Great Sand Dunes. The weather wasn't what I was expecting or the weather channel for that matter. The entire time the wind wouldn't stop blowing sand around which makes terrible conditions for camera equipment which I decided to keep in the case and not risk ruining. That evening there was a sweet display of light at sunset, one you don't see very often.

Instead of dragging Iris around for an early morning hike we slept in and explored Medano Creek and the spectacular ecosystem along the base of the Dunes.

Iris sinking into the sand

After leaving the dunes we stopped by Mt Princeton Hot Springs for some soaking and happened to run into Judd Apatow strolling around the springs wearing a tiny purple party top hat. I love that guy!

It's getting closer to that time of year, the trees are starting to bloom here in Denver. Looking forward to warmer weather, longer nights and of course bumming around the state in search of mountains to climb and forests to get lost in. Stay tuned for trip updates and stories of my travels, along with whatever crosses my mind and inspires me.